Make Up Your Mind: Version2
by Miss Raine Sage
Summary: An edited version of my old story, plot may have changed slightly, but not much. It's been been 2 years since everything that happened. Feelings have grown, but alot has happened since the group split up. I can't think of a better summary Kraine.
1. Thunder and Lightning

Miss: Alright

Miss: Alright. Here it is. The first chapter of the new and improved Make Up Your Mind.

Mais: Wow, you're actually going to do something?

Miss: You know, you weren't even around when I wrote this last time. So if you want to stay this time, disclaimer please. :)

Mais: … Miss doesn't own ToS.

**This story may get OoC. Just warning you. So no flaming for that!**

_Make Up Your Mind ver. 2.0_

_Chapter 1: Thunder and Lightning_

The sky was alight as brilliant flashes of lightning streaked the sky, painting the dark clouds an eerie purple. The thunder crashed merely seconds later, a shattering sound that shook the trees below.

Voices were drowned out in the deafening rumble, two silhouettes flying through the dangerous storm.

"Come on Raine," Genis called out loudly as he moved closer to his sister, keeping his hands firmly on the handles of his rheiard as the fierce wind threatened to blow him away.

The siblings had a strong relationship. After being abandoned by their parents at the Otherworldly Gate, Raine had taken the role of parent at the tender age of 12. It was hard, but they emerged out of their situation probably stronger then most would. Raine was a strong person and never gave up, no matter how rough things got for the pair. She raised Genis as best as she could, and she felt she had done a quite fine job at it.

"We're almost there s-" Genis paused, his eyes widening suddenly as a bolt of lightning lit up the sky and allowed him to see his older sister ahead of him.

Raine had her eyes shut tightly as a gust of wind pushed into her face, her wet hair whipping around her frantically. Another strong gust came and pushed her rheiard to the side. She began to slide to one side, gripping the handles tightly, trying desperately to pull herself back up.

But she couldn't. Her hands began to slip on the handles, the rheiard beginning to tip towards the side she was sliding off of. She had her eyes shut tightly, hearing only the engine of her flying machine begin to cut out, when another gust of wind forced her off the machine.

She began to plummet to the trees below, the Iselia Forest, at a quickening speed. The wind whipped across her soaked body, her screaming drowned out by the cracking thunder.

It all happened so quickly, yet he seemed to be stuck in slow motion, unable to get his rheiard to move faster. That was it. There was no way he could catch up with her falling body unless he jumped too, which almost seemed like a good idea at the time.

There was the only family he had ever known, plummeting to her untimely death at only 25 years. What was he supposed to do?

Tears flew across his face, mixing into the cold rain as he flew towards his sibling.

"Raine! No!" With his tears now making it even harder to see, he pulled back up and flew forward. "Damn it." He whispered as he navigated through the storm towards their original destination. Raine wouldn't want him to die tonight too, not after everything she had done for him. He was going to live, for her.

xoxox

Dark, chocolate eyes scanned the horizon. He could have sworn he had heard a scream over the thunder. The blue glow radiating form his wings acted as a light, although it only helped slightly.

Even with his enhanced senses he had a hard time seeing very far in the dark torrent of wind and rain. His eyes strained slightly, using the frequent flashes of thunder as a chance to search for whatever he had heard.

His wings were getting heavy, the rain saturating the feathers, making it hard to stay airborne. His wet, auburn bangs were plastered to his forward, occasionally whipping his face with a gust of wind.

'_Lloyd is probably wondering where I am…'_ He thought to himself after a few minutes worth of searching. With a sigh he took one last look around himself. He was sure he had heard someone or something scre-

His eyes widened slightly before they became small slits as he thrust himself into the rain. He could see someone falling not too far away, falling quickly towards the dark forest below.

He neared the tumbling body, out-stretching his arms to catch them.

A grunt escaped the seraph as the limp body fell into his muscular arms, the force causing him to fall forward slightly. Using his wings to pull himself upright against the violent gale.

Lightning streaked the sky as he flew towards his son's home, the seemingly unconscious body held tightly in his arms. When he caught a glimpse of the person in his arms his heart seemed to stop for a moment before beginning to beat faster in worry.

This wasn't just some random person falling from the stormy sky; it was Raine Sage.

xoxox

The sound of a door being shut made its way to her ears, although it seemed distant. A groan escaped the maiden's lips as she shifted slightly, her eyelids lifting slowly to reveal her tired aqua eyes.

"I'm sorry," a strong voice came from nearby, sounding much closer then the door that had been shut. "I did not mean to wake you."

With difficulty, Raine pushed herself into a sitting position, leaning back against the headboard of the bed she lay in. Her entire body ached, even her fingers hurt. And she was cold. And wet. Actually, it was not her who was wet she realized as she placed her hand onto the blanket that covered her lower half.

She raised her turquoise eyes to see who was in the room with her, although she had recognized the voice immediately. It just seemed impossible for him to be there, in that room. Wasn't he up on that damned floating chunk of mana? Sending all the exspheres into space? Was it not nearly impossibly for him to come back to Symphonia?

Despite her disbelief, there he stood. Or, walked. He was exactly as she remembered. His russet hair, covering his deep, wise eyes. He was even wearing the same purple outfit.

"Do you only have two sets of clothing?" She spoke her inquisition, voice quiet and weak as she studied his clothing.

"Hmph. If I had known you would simply criticize me, I would have allowed you to continue falling."

Her eyes flashed back to his face, she could feel a blush crawling up her neck into her cheeks. "S-sorry…"

"It's fine." His strong voice remained impassive, as did his face, as he held forward his hands. "Here."

His eyes rested on her face. So much had changed over a short two years; two years that felt like an eternity on an uninhabited planet.

He studied her face as she slowly pulled the heavy, wet blanket off herself and pulled her legs off the bed. She looked the same, yet different. She had allowed her hair to grow out almost 3 or 4 inches; instead of resting just above her shoulder it flowed freely past them.

Seeing her struggle, he placed the clothing he held onto a nearby dresser and went to her side. He helped her to stand, feeling her small, fragile hands shaking within his own.

"Are you alright to stand?" He questioned, eyeing her carefully. There was something… Something not quite right but he couldn't seem to pinpoint it.

"Yes… I believe so." She pulled her hands away slowly from his, attempting to comb her fingers through her knotted, windswept hair.

That was when he saw it; only for a brief second when her hair was being tugged back and her bare neck was revealed. His eyes narrowed, only for a moment before he regained his composure.

There was a long, thin scar that ran along the right side of her neck. Thin like the edge of a blade. A sword pressured against her fragile skin enough to break the surface.

This wasn't right. But he didn't say anything about it, feeling it wasn't his place to ask.

Watching her cautiously, he picked up the clothing again and handed them to her. "Perhaps these can answer your previous question."

She took the clothing form his hands, having stopped shaking slightly. She cocked her head to the side, watching him questioningly as he turned away. What was he talking about?

She lowered her eyes to the fabric she held as the wooden door to her room was closed once again. Carefully she began to unfold, and it dawned on her. She could feel the heat creeping up again as she stared at the clothing held before her.

They were pajamas. _His_ pajamas.

xoxox

Slowly, body still sore, Raine walked down the hallway from the room she had been in towards a visible staircase. The house was big. Much bigger then the last time she had been here, assuming she _was_ in Lloyd's home.

Lloyd and his adoptive father, Dirk, had worked on the house. A lot. Instead of the small little hut, it had two proper floors. From what Raine could see there were three bedrooms upstairs. And the room she had been in, the guest room she assumed, had its own balcony. She had hung the wet blanket and clothing over the rails.

Her face burned slightly again at the thought of her wet clothing. Or more so her replacements. She looked down at the dark grey t-shirt and dark purple and black striped pajama pants she was wearing. She had had to tie drawstring on the pants to keep them from falling, and the t-shirt hung off of her worse then her own baggy shirts. Of course, this was to be expected. After all, he was bigger then her.

'_Not that he's fat though,'_ she thought afterwards, more heat rushing to her cheeks. _'He's well built. It's all muscle… There's probably not an ounce of fat on his body.'_ The thought of his body only made things worse. She could feel her heart's pace begin to quicken.

'_Oh, get a hold of yourself Raine.'_ She slowed her pace as she reached the stairs, stopping completely at the top. _'You sound like a silly teenage girl with a stupid crush.'_ She shook her head, trying to compose her thoughts and rid her face of the redness that surely occupied it. _'Besides, these feelings are irrelevant. And most importantly: completely __**unacceptable**__.'_

She could feel her face begin to cool down and her heart slow slightly. With a sigh she looked down the stairs and slowly, holding tightly onto the beautiful wooden railing, began her descent.

xoxox

Miss: There. And it's twice as long as the original. :O Go me? Haha. Well; I hope this is better. And the next chapter should be up shortly.

Mais: And just so you all know, shortly could be anywhere from a few hours to a few months with her. n.n

Miss: No. :( It won't take that long. Let's say, a few hours to a few days. No longer then a week. I mean, it's summer. And I seriously have nothing better to do with my time. Sooo…

Anyways. Please review. ;D Tell me what you think.


	2. Breakfast and BandAids

Miss: Okay

Miss: Okay. Chapter 2 is being started. Woo! So parts of the plot are being changed, but because it makes more sense if it's changed slightly.

Mais: Wow. It's not even 24 hours later and you're starting to write?

Miss: Yup.

Mais: Do you think you'll actually finish it before 24 hours?

Miss: Yes. Disclaimer please before I take you out for being annoying.

Mais: u.u Miss doesn't own ToS.

**This story may get OoC. Just warning you. So no flaming for that!**

_Make Up Your Mind ver. 2.0_

_Chapter 2: Breakfast And Band-Aids_

She could feel her face begin to cool down and her heart slow slightly. With a sigh she looked down the stairs and slowly, holding tightly onto the beautiful wooden railing, began her descent.

xoxox

"Mm…" An incomprehensible slur of words followed this happy sound as the younger swordsman stuffed a fifth pancake into his mouth. "Thee awe amathing eenith." A few more chews and Lloyd swallowed it down. "Are there any more?"

"You've already eaten more then your fair share Lloyd!" The mage stared at his best friend; he was amazed that Lloyd could eat so much and stay so fit, and yet also disgusted that he ate so much. "Raine still hasn't eaten. If there's any left afterwards you can have them."

The now fairly tall magic user turned his head away from Lloyd and back towards his cooking. About a year ago the small boy had gone through a growth spurt, leaving him as tall as his older sister and incredibly lanky. Since then he had gained a bit of weight and thankfully no longer looked like a walking toothpick but like a normal person.

Kratos sat at the table, diagonally from his son, with his head resting in one of his hands. His eyes were looking past his son towards the stairway, but he could still see the boy's eyeing his uneaten pancakes. Slowly he turned his chocolate eyes towards Lloyd and sighed, pushing his leftover pancakes towards him.

"Thanks dad!" An ear to ear smile plastered itself onto the swordsman's face and remained there even as he chewed. Kratos raised a hidden eyebrow as he watched his boy pig out on the pancakes. Shaking his head slightly he turned his gaze back towards the staircase.

He couldn't help but smile as he watched her near the bottom. The curve stretched across his lips; his eyes, although hidden behind his untamable auburn bangs, laughing gently at the very faint blush discernable on the healer's cheeks.

"Good… morning?" Raine asked quietly, only now aware that she had no idea what time it was. As she neared the table, the mercenary stood and stepped towards the chair across from him, pulling it out from under the hand-carved wood table to allow the maiden to sit.

A stronger blush began to creep up her neck as she nodded her thanks to the man and sat. _'Enough Raine. Grow up.'_

"Oh sis!" Genis cried out slightly, coming towards her quickly with a plate of perfectly golden hotcakes. "How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Putting down the plate, Genis wrapped his arms tightly around his sister's shoulders.

"I'm fine Genis." She smiled slightly, attempting to hug him back but finding her arms pinned to her sides by her brother. "I'm just a little sore and tired."

Loosening his grip, the boy looked into her cerulean eyes with his own matching ones and smiled. "Thank goodness you're alright Raine. I don't know what I would do without you…" A slight frown fell upon his face as he thought of that prospect, tears stinging at the backs of his eyes.

But she wasn't dead. She was alive and well. With a smile now back on his face we motioned towards the food, backing away. "Eat."

Raine's eyes fell to the pancakes in front of her, not wanting to look directly into Kratos' eyes. Which I suppose would be difficult to do, what with the hair covering them and all, but it was just the thought that his eyes _were_ there, and they were most likely watching her.

He watched her silently as she slowly ate. Cutting each piece off and thoroughly chewing it before swallowing, unlike his piggish son.

'_Hmm. She seems a lot calmer then she used to be.'_ He studied her silently. _'Of course, she did just fall nearly 400 feet in a fairly impressive storm.'_

His eyes took in the look of her hair, a total mess, yet still shining in the dim morning light that came through the kitchen window; and then her pale face, still a very slight shade of pink resting in her cheeks as she sat before him. Her neck was mostly hidden by her hair and not a trace of the scar he had seen earlier was noticeable. If he hadn't of seen the thin pink line himself he wouldn't believe it was there.

'_She has a truly beautiful face…'_ Slowly the seraph straightened up in his chair, forcing his thoughts on the subject in front of him to stop before they got out of hand.

"So," Raine began, finally looking up from her breakfast. The silence felt extremely awkward to her and she could no longer bear it. Her eyes searched around her quickly, noticing that the two younger boys were no longer in the room.

"So." Kratos spoke quietly, his arms crossed on his chest as he regarded the half-elf.

The chair squeaked slightly as she shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Why do you have more clothes here?" Her eyes drifted back towards his and fell to her now empty plate when they caught a glimpse of the dark brown ones staring back.

He couldn't resist. A slight chuckle escaped his throat before he could stop it. "Is that all you think about? My clothing?" He could feel a smile tugging at the corner of his lips and repressed it as best he could.

Once again Raine could feel the heat flowing to her cheeks. "I'm sorry." She muttered. _'Raine Sage. Stop acting like a fool.'_ She thought harshly, chastising herself for once. It was foolery for her to be acting so immaturely.

Yet she had never felt so flustered before. She didn't know what to say, and so words she would not normally voice were escaping her. Something about this purple clad man was sending her into a frenzied spiral. She couldn't keep her thoughts straight. She couldn't understand why. It had never been like this with him before. Why the sudden change? Why did her heart start racing at the thought of him _now_ and not before? Why did her face always flush when she thought of him? It was so annoying!

"Yuan brought them over for me when I told him I was coming back. I had left some clothing back in my chambers in Cruxis." The angel felt a need to answer her question, no matter how irrelevant and silly it may be, as he watched the blush creep back on her face. _'Hahaha. How cute-'_

His face turned stoic as the thought crossed his mind. _'Cute? No.'_ He watched silently as the healer stood from her seat and brought her plate to the sink.

She turned back towards him, her face composed again. "Thank you Kratos."

"Hm?" He looked at her questioningly, her words pulling him from his thoughts.

"For saving me." Her eyes met his, and she held them for once. She allowed a small smile to play on her lips.

"It was my pleasure." With a quick smile the seraph stood from the table and turned to go into the living area. He couldn't look at her. It was making thoughts go through his mind. Thoughts that should _not_ be there, that were not allowed.

'_Well… I suppose they are __allowed__. No. I can not.'_ Kratos argued with himself as he sat on the sofa. Lloyd and Genis were sitting on the floor, playing cards across the low coffee table.

'_It is true, she is quite beautiful.'_ He watched as the maiden took a seat on the couch across from him. _'But my heart should not feel like this. I don't…'_ The seraph struggled even with the thought of the word love. He loved Anna. His beautiful, brown haired, brown eyed, late wife. The mother of his only son. It was not possible for his heart to beat as strongly for another. Was it?

xoxox

Raine was sitting silently, meditatively on the couch. Her legs pulled up and her eyes shut. She was pondering, pondering over the feelings she couldn't quite understand, or get rid of either. And she thought perhaps if she took the time to think about it thoroughly, she could find a way to prevent them from returning.

Her eyes flashed open and directed themselves towards the kitchen when the shattering sound of breaking china reached her ears. From where she sat she could see Genis scolding Lloyd.

"Seriously Lloyd! You idiot." The young mage shook his head. He had told him to be careful because the dishes were wet and therefore slippery. "Pick it up before someone gets hurt." He instructed as a blushing Lloyd scratched the back of his head.

"Heh… Sorry." The swordsman bent down and began picking up the pieces of glass.

From the corner of her eye Raine could see Kratos shaking his head and turning back to his sword. He had a cloth in his hand, cleaning. The thought of what he must be cleaning off caused a shudder to make its way up Raine's spine. With a sigh she shut her eyes once more to relax.

Not even minutes later her eyes were open once again. A piercing whine followed by an outburst of laughter broke the silence. Raine was once again staring into the kitchen. Lloyd was standing, cradling his hand while Genis was using the counter to hold himself up; the laughter had him doubled over and grasping at his chest to allow air into his lungs. Kratos was also in the kitchen now. He was leaning quietly against a wall, his arms folded across his chest as he shook his head.

"Professor," Lloyd whined, calling over the only one who wasn't already there. As she made her way towards the boy she could see true fear in his eyes. Her face contorted slightly with disbelief.

When she reached the both she grabbed the hand he had been cradling and examined it.

"Am I going to die?" He asked loudly, true fear escaping his voice. Raine lifted her eyes to the boy's face and saw Kratos standing behind him, his russet hair swaying as he shook his head. Clearly he was not very impressed with his son's display.

He couldn't believe it. Regret filled him. If only he had been there to teach his son something, anything! The pathetic display was not something Kratos was very proud of.

His eyes followed the maiden, looking sadly at his son's hand. "Lloyd, it's just a cut." Her voice was like bells, chiming through the wind that so softly whispered around them. _'What in the world is wrong with me!?'_

He looked away from the two for a moment, where had that sudden breeze come from? He looked around the room, only to see Genis standing by an open window. The young magic user had opened it, feeling a need for fresh air to fill his lungs.

Turning his gaze back to his son and the healer a small smile played on his lips, covered by his wild hair. The expression on his son's face, as he tried to explain himself was priceless.

"It… Of course it is. I was just testing you professor! You passed, you were right. It's just a cut." The seraphim shook his head. These were his excuses? Pathetic…

His eyes fell back on Raine, who was now using first aid to mend his son's hand. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and uneasy feeling was filling his stomach.

'_Butterflies?'_ He gazed down at his stomach, hidden behind his purple clothing. The sound of Genis laughing and giving Lloyd a hard time barely made it to his ears. As his eyes rose once more he couldn't help but think to himself, _'Am I falling in... in love again?'_ His heart seemed to jump at the thought of the word. _'…no… I… I can't.'_

Raine turned away from the swordsman, doing her best to avoid looking towards the seraph. _'There's no reason for me to even feel like this,'_ she reassured herself, _'to feel nervous, scared, embarrassed! He has a wife; or… had a wife? And a son.'_ She shook her head and turned away, watching her footing carefully as to not step on any glass.

"Lloyd, finish cleaning this up. And be careful!" She spoke sternly, her feet taking her back to her couch with the intention of continuing her thinking. Or maybe she'd read. She had seen a book sitting on the coffee table earlier… Perhaps she'd use it to preoccupy herself.

He couldn't help but watch her for a moment as she carefully made her way back to the living room, chastising his son for being so careless.

"Man Lloyd! I can't believe you thought that was serious." Once again laughter was beginning to take over Genis' body. He kept one hand firmly on the counter, "You really are stupid!"

"Shut up Genis!" Lloyd retorted quickly as he bent down again to finish picking up the shattered plate.

'_Anna.'_ Kratos headed to the front door, having a hard time putting any thoughts together. _'Raine.'_ He turned, not crossing the river that surrounded the pretty, little cottage like home.

"Noishe." He said aloud, petting the giant dog like animal. "What am I doing?" He asked the protozoan.

He shook his head, a sigh escaping him as the gentle breeze played with his hair. "I don't know what to think Boy. I don't know what to do."

xoxox

Miss: Yay. Another one done. :) In less then 24 hours too! Woo. Not that it really matters how quickly I finish; only one person has reviewed so far. :(

Mais: Well, it hasn't even _been_ 24 hours! Give people a chance Miss, geez.

Miss: I guess. And just to let everyone know, I have just become slightly preoccupied. x3 I've started to read War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy, and it's very long. And so far very good. I'm still trying to find time every day to work on this though. Well, review! Because I really like reviews. It makes me want to write more and better. :D So review!


	3. Losing Control Of Yourself

Miss: Hooray

Miss: Hooray. I have begun to type out Chapter 3. ;D Yay. Okay so; I plan to expand the storyline to include more characters. Same basics, but deeper, longer, more to it… you know? So… It's like… a whole new story! :O Yet, the same…

Mais: Wow. That's deep. –sarcasm-

Miss: I know. :3

Mais: … So, are you actually going to finish it? I mean; if you expand it… that means more writing? And more writing, well. It doesn't seem to quite agree with you.

Miss: Yeah, I realize that. But if I get it finished before school starts; I should be good! Because it's school that _really_ distracts me. ;D Disclaimer now! So I can start.

Mais: Miss doesn't own Tales of Symphonia. And she says sorry for the really long chat here. Dx

**This story may get OoC. No flaming for that, I just warned you.**

_Make Up Your Mind ver. 2.0_

_Chapter 3: Losing Control Of Yourself_

'_Anna.'_ Kratos headed to the front door, having a hard time putting any thoughts together. _'Raine.'_ He turned, not crossing the river that surrounded the pretty, little cottage like home.

"Noishe." He said aloud, petting the giant dog like animal. "What am I doing?" He asked the protozoan.

He shook his head, a sigh escaping him as the gentle breeze played with his hair. "I don't know what to think Boy. I don't know what to do."

xoxox

The Irving house was quiet as the bright stars twinkled above. It was hardly late, but it was going to be a busy day tomorrow.

Though the quietness of the home would cause one to think that the occupants were all sleeping, one was still awake.

Raine Sage lay quietly in her bed, the new blankets she had been given to replace the wet ones were lying loosely over her body. Quietly, as to not wake her younger brother who was sleeping on a cot place in the room, she rolled onto her other side.

She closed her eyes, a futile attempt at sleep. It just would not come to her. _'I can't get my mind to stop thinking. If only my subconscious could __shut up__ I might be able to get some rest tonight.'_ She yelled at herself in her mind. She couldn't stop the thousands of thoughts that were crossing her mind and keeping it from relaxing.

With an exasperated sigh she quietly pulled off her blanket. She made her way to the balcony door on tip-toe, cringing when the wooden floorboards creaked. Slowly she pulled open the door and let herself outside, closing the door firmly behind her.

Immediately she could feel the cool wind playing with her hair and the baggy clothes she was still wearing. Leaning her arms gently on the railing she looked up into the sky, up at the brilliantly sparkling stars, and pondered what was up there. She knew of course. The stars were simply balls of gas. But it was a welcome change from her previous, sleep depriving, thoughts.

xoxox

'_Augh. Damn that town! Since when did Iselia have a bar…'_ Kratos' thoughts were strained as he tried desperately to keep his vision clear.

The seraph had left the house when he thought everyone to be sleeping. He just wanted to get away, get out of the house and clear his mind and his thoughts.

Clearly, as the usually agile angel stumbled over an exposed tree root, his decided course of action did the exact opposite. He hadn't planned to drink. In fact, he normally couldn't care less for the stuff. Over a lifespan of four thousand years, he had seen many displays of… of immaturity that alcohol had provoked. But it had been so alluring. And also like an escape, a way to fog up his mind and block out his thoughts rather then confronting them.

"Augh!" So lost in his now extremely tangled thoughts, Kratos didn't see the slight slope or the river. With a startled yelp he plunged, face first, into the not very deep stream that surrounded his son's home.

"Damn it! Damn it!" He cried out, attempting to pull himself back to his feet in the knee deep water. As he firmly placed one hand on the dry grass to hold himself steady his foot, which was pushing upwards on the slimy river bottom, slipped and he fell one again. A string of profanities escaped his normally quiet mouth.

The splashing sound had caught Raine's attention. She could see the seraphim clearly from where she stood and a worried look covered her features. "K-Kratos?" She asked unsure if she should interrupt him.

His ears perked up at the sound of his name and his eyes began to search for the voice's owner. Raising his eyes, he could see a silhouette of someone up on a balcony. A slight smirk tugged at his lips as a muddy hand came up to brush against his cheek, leaving a smear of brown.

'_No, not her! Not now!'_ The small shred of sobriety that remained within the man called out, but it was useless. _'Hahaha. Her.'_ The smirk grew as he finally got his footing and unfolded his wings, the blue and purple light glowing brightly in the darkness. With one swift, strong push he was airborne.

Flying while intoxicated may not have been one of the mercenary's brightest ideas. He fought desperately to go forward but always found himself beginning to stray to one side or the other. Eventually he was above the balcony. Far from his usual grace, Kratos landed and stumbled slightly; his hand was outstretched, searching for the railing to steady himself.

"Are… Are you alright?" Raine's squeaked out as she took in the picture before her.

There was an angel, a seraph, a usually quiet, graceful, discreet man stumbling before her. And he was drenched. And muddy. His hair was dripping in some places, and completely matted with grayish brown clumps in others. As she took in the mud smeared across his cheek her eyebrow rose in question.

"Oh yes Raine. I'm… I… I'm fine." A strange smile stretched across the seraph's mouth as he struggled to keep his words separate and understandable. Slowly he began to stumble towards her, his eyes glinting mischievously in the moonlight.

Raine's heart began to race again, but it wasn't the same as before. This time it was fear. Something was not right. Reflexively her feet began to carry her backwards until her back hit the railing. She looked behind her, seeing only the forest and sky above her.

"Raine." His voice came again, closer this time. "I don't know what it is about you." He took another step forward, and put his hands firmly on the railing and either side of her.

"My darling Raine," As his face neared hers she could smell it. The alcohol as his breath brushed lightly against her face. She felt as if her heart would jump right out of her chest as she looked into his beautiful dark eyes. She didn't know what to do. Her only escape would be to jump, and even then… He was too close for her to actually get herself over the hip-high railing. _'Please… Please back up Kratos.'_

The angel shifted his weight from one foot to the other, pulling his face back but keeping his hands tightly on the railing. He looked into her frightened aqua eyes and pondered aloud.

"Raine." The way he kept saying her name was unnerving her. "What is it?" No reply came to his question, but he wasn't expecting one and simply continued his thoughts aloud.

"Is it your mind?" Gently he ran his muddy fingers through her silver hair, while keeping one hand on the railing. Clearly he was not going to let her escape.

"That brilliant mind. Always right, always thoughtful, tactful, filled with knowledge. And yet you have such an obsessive thirst for more. Answers, to everything." His pulled his hand from her hair tenderly and tugged at the sleeve of her shirt, _his_ shirt. An almost scary smile played on his lips as he thought back at all her questions about his clothing.

Raine's stomach began to flutter. _'No Raine… He's intoxicated. He's ranting. Just let him finish, don't pay attention. He's out of his right mind.'_ She closed her eyes and swallowed hard.

"Or is it maybe your personality." The same hand now fell upon hers, holding it tightly. "The way you flare up angrily whenever someone is acting stupidly or irrationally. How you're always worrying over school work. Or how much you care for your brother and friends; even though you don't always show it outright." He looked into her now open eyes thoughtfully for a moment. "Or the way you always put on a strong face," His finger's now brushed lightly against her pale cheek, leaving a muddy track on it, "even when you're unhappy or you know it just won't work out how it should."

Raine could feel tears beginning to burn at the back of her eyes as she listened to his words. There was no way he could possibly mean any of this. Why oh why did she have to bring his attention to her?! Rather then beating ferociously her heart was beginning to feel constricted as it filled with fear, anxiety, and even disappointment.

"Or perhaps," Kratos moved in closer, "it's your body." This time his hand went to her back, tracing her shoulder blades before tracing her spine delicately and resting on her lower back. The other left the railing and found its way to her waist.

He couldn't help it; he couldn't stop himself now. He was pouring his mind out, all his thoughts and curiosities and feelings. If he had planned on telling her any of what went on in his secretive mind, it would not have been like this. But the potent alcohol had chained up all rational movements and thoughts by this point.

At this, Raine's entire body tensed, her eyes shut as she could no longer fight back the tears. "Please stop…" Her voice was small and hardly audible as she felt her body being pulled against his. She could feel his wet clothing and the sticky mud that covered his strong chest and abdomen.

"That beautiful body. Your entrancing eyes, the perfectly pointed tips of your ears that poke playfully out from behind your silky hair. The soft feel of your skin, the soft curves of your body…"

"Kratos!" Streaks of red ran down the healer's face as her hidden tears broke free. Her voice was loud, but cracking with sobs as she lifted her hands to his chest and pushed as hard as she could. It was enough.

The swordsman stumbled back a few steps, his eyes wide with shock. His hands reached up to were her small hands had pushed him away so forcefully. He looked back up in time to see Raine quickly, but quietly, going back into her room; her back was streaked with light mud. A small clicking noise came from closed door.

The seraph stepped to the door and pulled lightly on the handle. It was locked. He put his hand on the glass door, attempting to look in but only seeing the drawn, blue curtains. With a grunt he made his way to about the middle of the balcony before sitting down. He leaned back against his hands and stared up at the stars, wondering what he had done wrong.

xoxox

A few tears were still escaping her reddened eyes, but for the most part she was done crying. She had cried so much in the last ten or so minutes, she was amazed (and thankful) that she had not woken up Genis.

Her heart felt as if it were in physical pain, as if it had been hit smacked repeatedly. It seemed like it was just going to die and fall out. His words had cut her like many knives, his actions frightened her beyond belief. She had always felt so safe around him; but now…

Of course; had he spoke those words to her on any other night, when his breath didn't carry the stench of alcohol, she would have been ecstatic. Even if he was soaked and covered in mud!

'_That bastard.'_ The thought had recurred to her many times since she had walked back into the room. She hadn't bothered to wipe off the mud, even though it was dried and frail now.

After glancing quickly at her brother, she rose and moved the curtains slightly to take a look outside.

There he was. He was still there! But… he was lying down? Taking a better look, she realized that Kratos was sleeping. She frowned as a few worried thoughts crossed her mind. What if he was cold? What if he got sick?

Extremely quietly, now that she was trying to keep two people from waking up, she unlocked the door and stepped once again into the cool night air. She looked up at the sky, seeing the moon in its entire splendor. It was full, and shining silver rays down upon them.

Careful not to step on the angel, she made her way to the blanket that was still hanging on the railing. She knelt down beside Kratos and pulled the blanket over him. Even after everything, she couldn't help but feel _something_ for him; no matter how ridiculous that was.

There was a pained look on his face as he lay there silently with only the sound of his and Raine's breathing. Frowning she stood once again and made her way back into the room and into her bed.

xoxox

Miss: I did it. Another chapter!

Mais: Congratulations.

Miss: What is wrong with you? You're really… a lot nicer then you used to be.

Mais: I don't know; you stopped reacting so much when I would bug you… so I stopped.

Miss: Oh… Well… Anyways. Review please? :3 Thanks.


	4. Amps and Surprises

Miss: Okay, I am so sorry this took so much longer then the others

Miss: Okay, I am so sorry this took so much longer then the others. Dx

Mais: Here we go; you're falling into your old habits Miss.

Miss: No I'm not! :( I was busy all weekend. First some friends invited me to go see a movie with them, and then another friend invited me to her house for the night, and the next night I had another friend over at my place. Okay?

Mais: Fine whatever. You're here at least.

Miss: :) I don't own Tales of Symphonia.

Mais: Isn't that my job?

Miss: Not today. :D

**This story may get OoC. No flaming for that, I just warned you.**

_Make Up Your Mind ver. 2.0_

_Chapter 4:Amps and Surprises_

Careful not to step on the angel, she made her way to the blanket that was still hanging on the railing. She knelt down beside Kratos and pulled the blanket over him. Even after everything, she couldn't help but feel _something_ for him; no matter how ridiculous that was.

There was a pained look on his face as he lay there silently with only the sound of his and Raine's breathing. Frowning she stood once again and made her way back into the room and into her bed.

xoxox

A groan escaped the maiden as she turned over in her bed. "Augh…" She moaned as the light from the glass doors flooded through her eyelids. Using one arm to support herself, she sat up, rubbing her eyes with the other hand.

Her body felt tired. After the evens of last night, she hadn't had a very restful sleep.

She opened her eyes slowly and saw that the curtains were drawn back. Immediately she began to search for the seraph that had fallen asleep on the balcony last night.

But he wasn't there. Slowly she stood, using the headboard to hold herself up for a moment. Once she had regained her sense of balance she went towards the door, unlocked it, and stepped outside.

Immediately she could feel the warmth of the sun's rays as it shone just above the horizon. A cooling breeze accompanied the sun's rays, making the heat very comfortable.

She looked around, there was no sign that anything had even happened here. The blanket she had used to cover him was hanging over the balcony again. There wasn't even a trace of mud on it. Slowly her eyes dropped to her clothing; there was mud on her.

She made her way back into the room and pulled off her shirt, breaking the extremely dried mud off. Most of it was already gone, and the dust was just visible on the bed's coverings. After getting it all off, she pulled the shirt back on and went to the nearby mirror.

She pulled her hair in different directions, searching for any mud. She found a bit and pulled it out gently. A quiet sigh came from her lips as she thought about the night before. She felt her heart tighten again as she wondered what she would say to the angel when she saw him. Or if he would say anything? Or if both of them would just say nothing?

Feeling as though she had gotten all the mud off of her, she took a deep breath, repressing the tears that were silently fighting to fall. With one last glance at her reflection, she left the room and made her way downstairs.

xoxox

Kratos winced slightly as he heard a door opening. He was lying on the couch in the living area with his eyes shut. _'Ugh. That was irresponsible of me. Who knows what I did last night.'_

He could hardly remember anything from the night before. He knew he had gone to Iselia and found a bar. _'Stupid idea.'_ And the walk home became a blur. He had woken up very early in the morning and found himself outside on Raine's balcony.

'_Hopefully… I didn't do anything… or say…'_

"Good morning professor!" Kratos groaned and put his hand on his head as he heard his son greet Raine. His head was pounding.

"Good morning Lloyd, Genis." Raine made her way into the kitchen, catching a glimpse of the mercenary who was on the couch, eyes shut. _'He must have a terrible headache…'_ "First Aid." She muttered under her breath, sending the spell towards the seraph.

Shocked, Kratos opened his eyes, feeling the pain melt away from his mind. He looked up to see Raine smiling briefly at him before her face became somber again and her eyes turned away.

He got to his feet, concern and worry fighting to express themselves on his features. _'What have I done to her? What have these silly, out-of-hand feelings done?'_ Reaching the chair in which Raine sat, he placed his hands on the back of it. Immediately he noticed how her muscles became tense and he could feel a frown appearing on his face.

The maiden could feel his hands, gently touching her back as he placed them on the back of her chair. Her eyes grew steady and she looked as though she were studying the way Genis was teaching Lloyd to make pancakes, but her mind was frantic. _'Don't cry, don't freak out, don't move…'_

She felt the angel's wild hair brush against her cheek as he leaned forward. "Thank you…" He whispered quietly into her ear before straightening back up and sitting in his spot across from her. She could feel his eyes watching her carefully and she kept her own away from him.

She couldn't bear to look at him. She raised her hand slightly and held it against her neck, her scar. _'How can he do this…? How can he play with my heart like this? Then again… it's not like he __knows__ what he's doing to me… I've never told him… How I feel.'_ Subconsciously her fingers traced her scar. _'But I can't tell him. It's not right.'_

Both the adults were pulled from their thoughts when the young swordsman entered the room. "Hey, so are you two ready to go?" Raine looked towards the boy and her brother, confused for a moment. Kratos also looked their way but voiced his confusion, "What?"

"We're going to Genis and Raine's home for a few days, remember?" Lloyd's innocent smile shone brightly. Genis was also smiling as he stood beside his friend.

"Oh. Yes." Kratos stood and began for the stairs to pack some extra clothing into a backpack. "You may wear those for now, until we arrive at your home." He looked at Raine briefly. A slight blush crept up her neck as she nodded.

She turned her gaze back towards Lloyd, now an inquisitive look radiating from her. "How are we getting there?" She thought for a moment. The one rheiard they still had was broken, and the other one had been blown away in the storm. And the path through Iselia forest was completely destroyed.

Lloyd laughed slightly, unfolding his huge wings. "Fly of course. How else would we?"

Raine shrugged. It was sensible enough. There were two people who could fly, angels, and two who couldn't.

"Come on Lloyd! Let's go ahead. These two are taking too long!" Genis whined, beginning to walk towards the door.

"Yeah," Lloyd agreed. "You can go with Dad, okay Professor?" The red clad boy followed his friend, smiling.

Raine's eyes widened. Her heart began to beat faster. She was going to… fly with Kratos? How did that work?

"Raine?" Kratos asked cautiously, walking towards her slowly with a bag in hand. There was a terrified look on her face. Her normally bright aqua eyes were wild, and her skin seemed paler then usual. "Are you feeling ill Raine?"

"Uh… I…" Color began to find its way to her face again, turning a very light pink. "I'm fine."

"Well, then let's go." The healer stood and followed Kratos outside. "Here, you're going to have to hold this." He gently passed the bag he was carrying to her. "I put your clothing in there as well."

Nodding, Raine took the bag then looked up into his face. "So…" She began, feeling slightly awkward. "How… uh… How are we going to do this?"

Kratos listened to her question, pondering it seriously. "Hmm…" Carefully he grabbed one of her arms and pulled her closer to him before turning her around. Now her back was to him. "Just hold on tightly to that bag. If you drop it, I'll be without clean clothing for as long as I'm there."

Raine obeyed, she could hear the joking tone in his voice. She wrapped one of the straps around her arm a few times. "Very good." He commented. His voice was closer now

"Raine," his voice was now just a whisper by her ear, as it had been that morning. It felt to Raine as if her heart would jump right out of her chest. Surely he could hear it beating so ferociously against her rib cage, trying desperately to escape.

"I'm sorry for whatever happened last night." With the words ringing near her ears, she could feel the tears burning her eyes again. Was he apologizing because he was worried that whatever had happened had hurt her? Or was it because he didn't mean what he had said?

"I don't really know what I did, or said… But I can tell that I must have done something to hurt or offend you." It was much easier for him to say all this when she was facing away he found. "I didn't mean to hurt you. And I don't want you to be scared or to hate me." His voice was soft and filled with emotion, something that caught Raine's attention because it was not at all like him.

"Raine, can you still trust me? Can you put your life in my hands?" He questioned her, wondering to himself how he really meant this question. He knew he meant it literally, as he'd be carrying her hundreds of feet in the air; but… something in him was saying he meant this in a long term sense as well. _'…Perhaps… I have…'_

Raine shifted uncomfortable for a moment, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. She stared out into the dark green forest, and thought about what he had said. She had so many reasons _not_ to trust him; he had betrayed them countless times on their journey, he left without saying goodbye to any of them, last night…

But he _had_ been helping them the entire time, even though he was their 'enemy'. And he did come back. And he had just apologized for his actions and words… But he hadn't been there when… Her hand inched its way back to her scar. _'There's no way he could have known though. I can't blame him for not being there because he wasn't even on the same planet.'_

"I…"

"I understand if you say no. I don't…" His stomach twisted as he spoke these words, "… I don't deserve your trust anymore." He had watched her through the entire silence and for the first time in years, he was truly worried about the response he would receive. He shifted slightly as another short silence followed his words.

"I…" Raine stopped again. Her eyes looked up to the sky for a moment. "I do trust you." Her heart still trusted him. It was cracked after last night, but her stubborn heart didn't want to give up quite yet. _'Oh, why do I have to be so stubborn about everything?'_

"Alright, then hold on." Swiftly the angel put his strong arms around her waist, holding her tightly against his body. As he pushed forcefully off the ground, sending them flying up into the air, his mind thought back to Anna. This was exactly how he had carried her, and this was exactly how his heart had fluttered when she was in his arms.

The sensation of the air that pushed against them as they took off was amazing; the feeling of her feet leaving the ground was slightly unnerving though. She closed her eyes as they went higher, her arms folded over the angel's as he held her tightly.

"You can open your eyes Raine; we're not going up anymore." A smile played on the seraph's face as he flew forward. He could tell by the way she was holding her head that her eyes were shut. Her head tilted backwards against his chest as she opened them.

"Wow…" She gazed out around her at the blue sky and below her at the dark green mass of trees. "It's amazing." She watched as the sun sparkled on the ocean.

"Yes, it is. But we must hurry." He turned them around quickly and a gasp escaped the healer. Not too far behind them was a large, dark cloud; it covered most of the sky. Flashes of light were visible in the darkness, lightning.

Kratos turned them back around and began to fly towards Iselia.

"You…" Raine struggled for a moment, debating is she should say the words that burned her tongue. "You don't remember anything about last night do you?" She peered around, taking in the sights as she waited nervously for his response.

"No, I don't. I just remember waking up outside, on the balcony." He frowned, his eyes turning downwards slightly. He watched her quietly, watched as her silver hair sparkled with the dying sunlight as clouds over took the blue sky.

"So," She paused, trying to word her question properly before asking. She didn't want to give him the wrong impression, or in this case the right impression; that it had mattered to her.

"Anything you may have said… doesn't mean anything to you?" Yes, she knew it was badly worded; but she couldn't think of the right words. The right way to ask him.

Kratos' wings faltered slightly, causing them to fall quickly but only for a second. He regained himself, keeping them steady once again. "I can't be certain of that Raine." He shifted their direction slightly, the small village coming into view. "I'm not entirely sure _what_ I may have said… Alcohol h-" He flinched, turning his head upwards as a few big, wet drops fell on him. Frowning he began to speed up, sparkles flying around them from his shimmering wings.

"Alcohol tends to…" He thought for a moment. "It can act as an amplifier for how one is feeling at the moment; at least, for some people. Others just become complete morons." Kratos sighed, remembering a time long ago.

"Oh." That was all she could say. She didn't know what else to do. _'So… was it an amplification?'_ Her stomach fluttered, filled with butterflies, at the thought. _'Or was he just being a moron…'_ She frowned. _'Well, either way, it was still a pretty moronic thing to do.'_

Thunder cracked above them as they landed in the Sage's front yard. Rain was pouring down upon the pair as their feet touched the ground again.

Raine stumbled slightly, her legs unable to hold her right away. "Raine, be careful." Kratos called out over the booming noise as he grabbed her arm, steadying her.

Quickly they made their way to the front door, and Kratos grabbed the handle. He pulled the door open against the howling wind and shut it behind him after Raine had entered.

'_This is strange. The boy's should be here already… Why are the lights turned out?'_ She reached out her hand to the side, immediately finding the switch and flicking it.

"Surprise!"

Raine stumbled backwards slightly as the chorus of voices broke out of the silence. She felt the seraph's hands grab her arms lightly as she stepped back into him by accident. Her heart was beating ecstatically as her eyes took in the scene before her.

"Happy birthday Raine!" The raven haired summoner called out as she stepped forward. More voices followed, all wishing her a happy birthday.

Kratos smiled as he leaned silently against a wall, watching as Sheena gave Raine a big hug. _'Haha. To think, they hated each other in the beginning.'_

The entire group had shown up, as Genis had planned. He wanted to do something special for his sister, and he knew that she missed having everyone around.

"Where are you all staying?" Raine asked, a smile playing on her lips. It was amazing, to see everyone again.

"Well," Sheena began, turning her eyes towards the dark window.

"We had planned to stay outside in tents, but at the moment there is a very high risk of someone getting injured if we were to stay out in that storm." Presea finished, her own deep gaze resting lightly on the healer.

Comprehension dawned upon her as her own eyes took in the scene from the window. The rain was battering violently against the window, and she just now could hear it falling on the roof. Every few minutes the sky was alight with flashes of lightning. "There's… not enough places to sleep in this house for nine people…"

"Some of us can sleep on the floor." Regal stated as he was already sitting on the wooden floorboards, leaning against the side of a chair in which the small Presea sat.

"Well, if you're certain…"

"Yeah, yeah! We can take it. I mean, we spent _how long_ sleeping on the rocky ground?" Sheena smiled at the healer, and she smiled back.

xoxox

"So, what's it like to be _twenty-six_ years old?" Sheena asked teasingly, putting strong emphasis on the number. Raine looked at her friend as she unrolled the sleeping bag the summoner held. She smiled; it didn't feel like there was a 5 year gap between them. "It's amazing Sheena. Just wait."

The small home was filled with laughter as everyone helped to get the make-shift beds ready. Genis was running around, gathering any spare blankets he could find while the others were laying the blankets and sleeping bags on the living room floor.

With all the couches and the coffee table pushed back against the walls, the room felt much more open; although the floor looked like a total mess. Despite this fact, the entire group sat on the floor, surrounding a small circular table that had a dozen candles burning on it. There were a few other small tables around the room with candles upon them, lighting up the room as they had flicked off the big lights.

The sound of a sleeping bag shuffling was heard as Zelos leaned back on his arms. "Just like old times." He reminisced as he closed his eyes, smiling slightly. On his right Sheena shook her head and laughed slightly, "Yeah, except we didn't use candles as a campfire before." The redhead shrugged. "We can't just light the professor's house on fire, now can we?"

They were all having little conversations between themselves. Lloyd and Colette were sitting together closely, their heads close together as they spoke in quiet whispers, occasionally laughing. Sheena and Regal were talking over Zelos about the reconstruction of Tethe'Alla, while the chosen attempted to insert himself into the conversation.

Genis was sitting beside Presea, his face tinted slightly pink. "So Presea…" He began, thankful that he wasn't stuttering like an idiot now. "How are you?" He looked at her; her eyes were dancing in the firelight.

"I am doing fine Genis. How are you?"

A small smile played on Raine's lips as she watched her brother from across the make shift fire. He really liked her, a lot. She could tell just by watching him. She stretched her legs out in front of her and leaned back on her arms, a content sigh coming from her.

"Happy birthday Raine." The seraphim whispered quietly as he sat down beside her, only the shuffling sound of the sleeping bag telling her he was there. He held a small box in front of her, a gentle smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Oh…?" Raine tilted her head slightly as she regarded the angel. She hadn't expected anything from anyone; just the fact that they were all there was more then amazing to her. She eyed the box cautiously, the previous night's events not leaving her mind. She wondered what it could be. Gently she took the box, and pulled the lid off.

"Oh! Is this…?" Her eyes grew wide as she gazed into the small box, all her worried thoughts disappearing.

"Yes. It's a small piece of Derris-Kharlan." Kratos smiled, turning towards her slightly, leaning on only one hand now to face her. "I figured you'd have had your fill of Symphonian rocks by now."

"Oh, this is magnificent! Absolutely wonderful! Thank you Kratos!" Without a second thought her arms found their way around his neck, pulling him into a hug. A shocked look held the mercenary's face for a moment, but it was only a second before he half laughed and gave her a small hug back.

The entire room went silent and the pouring rain and booming thunder were once again audible as the group watched the pair. They were all shocked. None of them had seen so much emotion from the seraph; none of them had even seen him smile, never mind laugh!

Raine pulled away from the man, thankful that the candle light was so dim. Her face was burning; she could feel the blood as it rushed to her cheeks. She carefully placed the lid back on the box and stood, sliding slightly as she made her way across the sleeping bags and blankets to her room. Once inside she took a deep breath, putting the present on her book shelf for now. She would study it later, when everyone was gone. Before leaving her room, she took a moment to compose herself.

When she returned to the living room Genis and Lloyd were laughing hysterically while everyone else, excluding Sheena and Zelos, were snickering quietly to themselves.

"Seriously Zelos!" Sheena spoke angrily, holding her fist threateningly towards the chosen that had a hand on his red cheek. "You're horrible!"

"Ow…" Zelos whined, frowning as he rubbed his cheek carefully. "You're the horrible person! Going around smacking people like that." A much practiced pout appeared on his face.

"You know damn well you deserved that Zelos Wilder. Don't make me hit you again." The raven haired woman sat back down, this time she was out of arms reach of the perverted chosen.

A mischievous grin snaked its way upon his face as he also sat back down, allowing the summoner her space… for now.

Raine smiled, shaking her head as she sat back down beside Kratos. It was so nice to have everyone back together again.

xoxox

Miss: I am so sorry this took so long. :( But it's really long! Well, longer then usual.

Mais: Wow.

Miss: I know. Epic. Anyways, I'm leaving town and my beloved computer in a few days. I won't be back for like 2 weeks. :( And then when I do get back, a special friend of mine is coming to stay for a week or so. :) So I won't really get a chance to update. Dx So, sorry in advance. D:

Mais: … you're leaving me alone?

Miss: … yeah?

Mais: …

Miss: O-o…. review please? Thanks. :D


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